Nightmares

Sleep took Fin and Ephy instantly. They didn't even talk on the way to their room—both were far too exhausted.

The sun rose, but they remained deep in Morpheus' embrace. When they finally stirred, it was already noon.

"Man, I smell bad," Fin muttered, sniffing his armpit.

He got up to shower, but Ephy was already inside. So he waited, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor as the reality of the trial being over finally began to settle in.

The water shut off. A few seconds later, Ephy stepped out, towel over his shoulders.

"You can go," he said, tapping Fin on the shoulder.

The moment Ephy's finger touched him, Fin's consciousness was yanked away—violently.

Suddenly, he was in a nightmare.

Everything was a blur. Then—clarity. A giant spider loomed in front of him, its massive legs clicking against the ground, its many eyes locked on him with predatory hunger.

He tried to run—but couldn't. His body was frozen in place.

"Hell no!" Fin screamed.

The spider lunged, a bladed leg slicing through his stomach and disemboweling him. The pain was unbearable. Then, it devoured him whole.

And just like that—he was back. Standing in the room. No time had passed.

But something had changed.

Fin blinked, then looked inward. There, in the description of his abilities, was something new:

Nightmares stored: [1/3]

"You okay? You look pale," Ephy asked.

Fin didn't answer. He ran into the bathroom, puked, and then took a thirty-minute shower. When he finally emerged, he looked a little better—but still deeply unsettled.

"I really hate spiders now." He thought to himself

"What happened?" Ephy asked again.

"I guess... I just died," Fin said, unsure how else to describe it.

Ephy frowned. "Well, you're clearly alive. What do you mean?"

"It's tied to one of the powers I gained after awakening. I can—"

Ephy cut him off with sudden seriousness. "Don't tell me."

Fin blinked.

"You can be vague about what you do," Ephy continued. "But never give away specifics. Someone will use it against you. Always."

"…Okay," Fin said, a little startled by the shift in tone.

The room fell quiet—until Fin's stomach growled loud enough to echo.

Ephy raised an eyebrow. "Guess death doesn't stop hunger either."

They made their way to the cafeteria. It was quiet, half-empty. Survivors were few this year.

They spotted Deryn sitting alone at a corner table, stirring something questionable in a bowl. She waved them over.

"Good to see you still breathing," she said. "You look like you've been through hell."

Fin sat with a grunt. "Pretty sure I actually did."

Cornelius stood tall in the center of the cafeteria. His usual sharp tone was softer this time, more measured. The clinking of spoons stopped. All eyes turned to him.

"Good afternoon, everyone. I hope you slept well."

He paused, scanning the faces in front of him—fewer than he would've liked. His gaze lingered on the empty seats. The silence was heavy.

"I want to begin by acknowledging what we've all felt. This year's trial was... harsher than most. Not everyone who entered the rift walked back out. To those who didn't—we remember them. Their strength. Their courage. Their sacrifice."

A long moment of silence stretched. Even Fin felt his chest tighten. He didn't know most of the others, but the weight of what they'd all just survived tied them together like blood.

Cornelius continued.

"Survival is not a sign of luck. It's a sign of growth. Of adaptation. Each of you has faced something most people never will—your own mind, your fears, your limitations. And you overcame them."

His voice grew stronger, more resolute.

"You are not the same as you were yesterday. The person who stepped into that rift is gone. And what came back? That's someone new. Awakened. Marked by power and purpose."

He took a deep breath.

"Some of you may feel confused. Others, overwhelmed. You may not understand what you've become, or what comes next. That's natural. Growth is never quiet. But know this—"

Cornelius looked around the room, making eye contact with Fin, Ephy, and Deryn in turn.

"You are not alone. You have each other. And you have time. Learn your abilities. Learn yourselves. This is not the end of your journey. It's the beginning of something much greater."

A faint smile touched his lips.

"We don't just survive the Rift. We rise from it. And in time, you'll see why."

He gave a slight bow, a gesture of respect to the room.

"Eat. Rest. Train. There's more to come."

And with that, Cornelius turned and walked out, his coat trailing behind.

Deryn was the first to speak

"So you all heard what he said, we have to train right. So what about I get my revenge in a spar. What do you say Fin." Deryn said excitedly

"Maybe tomorrow, I want to know what my abilities really do first."

After they finished eating, the three of them sat in silence for a while—each lost in thought, their minds still trying to catch up with their new reality. The tension of survival was gone, but something else had replaced it: curiosity, uncertainty, and the unmistakable pull of power humming just beneath their skin.

Eventually, Ephy stood.

"There's a wing in the east hall. Dedicated training rooms for the Awakened," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You can practice safely there. Figure out what you've become."

Deryn raised an eyebrow. "Safely? Sounds boring. But fine."

Fin hesitated for a second, then nodded. He wasn't ready—but he needed to understand what had changed inside him.

They left the cafeteria together, the halls quieter than usual, passing signs with symbols that now seemed to glow faintly to his eyes. The deeper they went, the more the building seemed to shift—less like an academy and more like something ancient.

And there right in front of him he saw a door made out of polished blue steel—in the middle was one engraving.

Fortified training room.